Fast Facts
Title: The Jay Leno Show
Host: Jay Leno
Band Leader: Kevin Eubanks
Band: The Primetime Band
Format: Traditional one-hour late night talk show format
Broadcast information: 10 to 11 p.m., NBC, weeknights, until Feb. 11, 2009.
Tapes: NBC Studios, Burbank, Calif.
Premiere Date: Sept. 14, 2009
Overview:
Former Tonight Show host Jay Leno launches his own talk show, The Jay Leno Show, on Sept 14., 2009, on NBC at 10 p.m., reportedly the first show to be stripped across the 10 o’clock primetime hour, Monday through Friday.
The debut follows a carefully orchestrated transition period between The Tonight Show and NBC’s Late Night that took place over the course of nearly five years. It began when Leno announced his decision to retire from The Tonight Show in 2004, and Conan O'Brien was soon named his successor.
Though there was some mildly tense moments in late 2008 and early 2009 when Leno seemed to resist the idea of leaving The Tonight Show, the transition was amicable. O'Brien took over for Leno on June 1, 2009.
Leno’s new show is very similar in comedy tone and personality to his Tonight Show. Band leader Kevin Eubanks and announcer John Melendez will return, though Melendez will no longer be announcer and has adopted a more supporting comedic actor role.
The timeslot required some adjustment, as a block of time at midnight (six minutes of commercials) was reduced in the new hour. Leno entices viewers to both stick to the end of his show – and stick with their local news – but introducing a comedy segment at the end of the program. He’s also holding sway over a new stage in a larger studio. Celebrity guests are more involved in stunts and antics, as well.
Many favorite things – including popular segments like Jaywalking, in which Leno asks on-the-street questions and receives hilarious responses, and Headlines, in which Leno jokes about real news headlines – have remained.
After four months in primetime, the experiment was determined to be non-sustainable. Leno will return to 11:35 p.m. on March 1, taking over The Tonight Show. The announcement caused a stir at NBC, resulting in two weeks of tribulation as Conan O'Brien was let go from Tonight.
